The Regional Director for European Affairs highlighted in Vila Franca do Campo the relevance of promoting the participation of all citizens, namely young people, in the European project by raising their awareness for the values of the European Union.
 
Célia Azevedo spoke Monday at an information session promoted by the local Basic Education and Secondary School under the training course held under the theme "Portugal and Europe." In this context, she stressed the importance of "living in a project of lasting peace guided by rights such as freedom, democracy or the rule of law."
 
The Regional Director emphasised that these values "are present and essential in the daily life of every citizen wherever they may be, either in the Azores or in any other part of Europe." According to her, "they are at the core of European solidarity."
 
In her speech, Célia Azevedo also stressed the relevance of the status of EU Outermost Regions, embodied in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which allows "the adoption of specific measures for the benefit of the Azores and the remaining eight Outermost Regions." In this regard, she pointed out the "clear example" of POSEI - Programme of Options Specifically Relating to Remoteness and Insularity.
 
Moreover, Célia Azevedo addressed the various forms of participation of the Azores in Europe, such as the presidency of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR), the participation in the Conference of Presidents of Outermost Regions, the membership in the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and in the Assembly of European Regions (AER) or the participation in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRA).
 
In this session, the Regional Director mentioned the history and functioning of the European Union, highlighting its mission, symbols, founding countries and several treaties, in addition to addressing the functioning and organisation of the EU, namely its bodies and institutions.
 
Emphasising the importance of Portugal's accession to the then EEC in 1986, Célia Azevedo recalled the "visionary role" of José Medeiros Ferreira, "who soon understood the importance of being part of a common space of security and prosperity." She also stressed the importance of the presence of the Portuguese, in general, and the Azores, in particular, at various levels of European decision-making and intervention.
 
The information session, attended by sixty students from four classes of Vila Franca do Campo Basic Education and Secondary School, aimed to enhance the knowledge about some of the concepts analysed in the classroom and debate them with the Regional Directorate for European Affairs.